The license plate game - my count for 2009

Every play the license plate game? I love to play it when I am on a trip. This is my rule, you can't count a state while you are in the state. I hate it when a colored plate whizzes by too fast to read the plate. Or the plate frame covers the state's name. (I was glad when Texas made it illegal to have the state name covered.) Last year I went to Orlando and Las Vegas on 2 trips. Since cars are often moving too fast to read them while I am driving, another rule I have is that it is legal to look for them in parking lots.
Large amusement parks and hotels always yield a wealth of plates. An amazing thing I have found is that a Texas plate is usually the first out of state plate I see. We are everywhere! I collected quite a few when I was in Orlando, but when I got home I put the list away. I didn't think much more about it until one Friday afternoon, while I was running errands after work I was sitting at a red light in Duncanville. Remember, I said Duncanville. I couldn't believe it, there were 6 different out of state license plates waiting with me for the light to change. Did I say I was in Duncanville? I did one of those 360 degree looks to verify where I was. I really for a second I had slipped into an alternate universe. I have spent most of my life explaining where Duncanville was, yet here were 6 cars from different states at the same place, at the same time in Duncanville. (And they weren't from Lousisanna, Arkansas, New Mexico or Oklahoma.) I was thinking did I miss something in news?
While I was still contemplating this event, someone at work transferred back to HQs from Hawaii. They shipped their car back! So when I saw a Hawaiian license plate in Dallas, Texas, what could I do but accept the challenge to spot all 50 states in the year. I pulled the list out and knowing I could collect a lot in Nevada in the fall. By the end of the year I had spotted 49 states, missing only Montana. And I probably saw it in Nevada and missed writing it down.
I decided to see how long it would take to find the states this year. Once again I am blown away. In the month of January, driving within the boundaries of Dallas country, I have spotted 34 different states. One afternoon, my brother and I were running some errands. One was to pick up my nephew at a private school in Oak Cliff (in south Dallas). I was explaining the game and what I was finding, and there were three out-of -state plates in the school's parking lot.

It is possible that I have been obvious to different plates around me in the past, but I don't think so. I know that ever since Katrina you see a lot of Louisiana plates. It is true that number has been dwindling the farther we get from the holidays, but I hardly ever make a trip without seeing one, even if it is one of the neighboring states. I can't help but believe that something is happening. I wonder if these are folks looking for jobs.

This used to be fun, but now it is almost an obsession with me . When I started my spreadsheet last year I stored it in a folder called 'Travel'. That is what it is suppose to be a game for when you are traveling not for when you are running errands.

At least now you know about my obsession. I am hoping that you will be a character witness for me in the event I am ever picked up for suspicious behavior in a parking lot. You can say, no, she wasn't lurking, she was collecting license plates. Of, course I don't think that sounds good either.

My dogs had other plans for me today

We have been experiencing winter in North Texas the last couple of days. Tuesday the freezing rain started, and over night it sleeted pretty heavily with the temperatures below freezing. I have a pretty tricky driveway. Some times the ice effects and some times not. Yesterday was one of the days it was effective. My work had a delayed opening of 10 am, but the sun did not come out of the clouds until 10.

This is what I saw from my garage. The driveway drops down to go over a creek and then back up to the street. Below is a view of the bridge through the trees, I wasn't able to walk down the driveway.

I wasn't able to go to work. So the dogs were in and out of the house all day. They love the cold, especially my Austrailian Shepherd. When they are in the house they are never far from me.

One of the greatest things yesterday, was the overcoming feeling of cleaniness. The air was so brisk and clean. All the trees and shrubs had a coating of ice that made them glisten. The photos don't do justice to the scene. I found that I could see the ice on the tips of the limbs by applying a watercolor technique.

It did remind me of the holiness of God's nature, fresh renewed again.

The temperature rose and the ice melted through the day and early evening.

And the temperature dropped below freezing again during the night. We woke this morning to a fog. I grabbed the camera and took a photo, it looked cold. But the driveway was clear, so I had to go work. I let the dogs back in, because of how cold it was. They were so excited. Evidently they thought we had the entire day to play. I think they were remembering another year when I took pictures of them in the ice. As I said goodby they blocked me from the door as though they were saying, "no, you are not leaving, we want to play!"

Here is what it looked like this morning. The downed tree limb on the right is from an ice storm a couple of weeks ago, when 3 limbs fell across the driveway.

After the dogs reaction this morning, I can hardly wait until my retirement, maybe they really won't let me out of the house.

The United States will not torture

After a full day of work, I sat down to check my email while the microwave was warming dinner. Turning on the TV, President Obama was speaking at the State Department earlier in the day. These were the first words I heard, "First, I can say without exception or equivocation that the United States will not torture." Of course, I knew why he was saying those words. I had known for a long time. Still, I could hardly believe my ears. The President of the United States was having to say outloud, "the United States will not torture." It makes my stomach turn. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that someone had the courage to say those words. How did we get to this place?

One way was certainly by allowing this to happen. By never saying the words outloud to ourselves and to others, we allowed it to happen. By thinking we had no control, we aloud it to happen. In a few seconds, I experienced shame and remorse and then immediately relief. I wish we could say, never again will it be true. Unfortunately, our history shows that when given the oportunities some Americans will take physical advantage of others. I can say never again on my watch and I will encourage those who I can influence to hold true in their lives the thought the United States will not torture.

20 January 2009

20 January 2009
I have a $25 small black & white TV that I keep in my office. I bought it at the HQs store probably 10 years ago. More than anything I was drawn to it because it cost $25 dollars; I was amused that I could buy a TV set for $25. You get what you pay for, but for days like yesterday, it provided what I needed. The reception in the building is poor and it was network TV, but to keep up with what was happening it did the job. Although every time I moved I had to readjust the antenna, remember those days? We were able to watch much of the day on our corporate television system on our PCs. So I would bounce between the PC and my portable TV through the day. I intended to write what I thought about the day last night, but by the time I got home I was emotionally drained.
I knew how excited my friends were who were making the trip to D.C. You could see the excitement in the crowds on the mall in the early morning. It reminded me of the week the Native American museum was opened on the mall in Washington. I was fortune to be in Washington, D.C. that week. I was honored to be able to go the mall several times for different events around my business obligations. The city was full of Native Americans who never thought there would be a day they would be honored. Many were staying at my hotel in Arlington, Va. It was exciting to be among the attendees and talk with them about the museum and what it meant to them. On opening day there was parade and many were wearing native clothing. I have to admit it took a little courage as one of the few Anglos to step into an elevator full of Native Americans dressed in native clothing including face paint and feather headdresses. What I saw on TV yesterday reminded of the pride and excitement I felt that week.
For myself, from the opening prayer to the benediction, my heart strings were tugged by each speaker. I would hear a phrase and feel a tug on my heart. I would take a breath. Before I could recover, another touching phrase would be uttered and the cycle would start again. Maybe it was so hard because it has been so long since I have heard those sounds of hope voiced yesterday.
I was surprised to hear and read the critical comments that have been spoken about the ceremony. It makes me wonder what speeches they were listening to, or were they listening at all? I also wondered if just like the different rendition ‘My Country Tis of Thee’, we were hearing a different voice for the Inaugural Speech.
I read all the text of the speeches again this evening, and found the same emotions overwhelming me. My yesterday was real. I was reminded of our great past and encouraged to believe in the potential for our greatness in the future. The rhetoric not only made me feel, it made me think.
As much as I hate to admit it, I had to wonder about what the difference would there have been if it had been a woman taking the oath for the oval office. Throughout the afternoon, those thoughts were with me. I have to say that while it would have been a great thing, I don’t believe it would have had the same impact as what we saw yesterday. Not just here in America, but around the world. I hope you can understand how difficult that is for me to say. I told a friend of mine today that twenty years ago I would not have been able to say it. Back then, I was heartbroken when I learned how the women that worked as early abolitionists were turned away as voting delegates from the World’s First Anti-slavery Convention. They came back to fight for their own freedom to vote. Although there are many barriers we have crossed and many we still have in front of us, as women we do have avenues for power and recognition.
All I can say is that yesterday, I was reminded that anything can happen in America. And our collective greatness will require you and me taking part.
What a thrill it would have been to be there and chime in with Amen and Amen and Amen!